Haunted (Sequel to Mayday)
by RossLover2012
Summary: A month after Ally and the rest of the survivors get rescued after the plane crash, everyone is almost back to normal except her. She can't shake off her nightmares and she claims she will never be the old Ally again, and she starts to see Thomas everywhere she goes which causes things to get rocky between her and Austin. Is it just in her mind, or is he actually still alive?
1. Chapter 1

**A long, sappy author's note :I just want to thank you all so much for my reviews on Mayday. I mean, before i posted about the sequel i had 1,065. I am so thankful that you all like it so much and i read every single review and to know that some of you read it over and over again makes me feel so great. It's been over a year since i first published it and i have been thinking and thinking of how i could write a sequel for you guys because a lot of you asked for one. So i have come up with an idea and i can only hope that it lives up to the first one. So here it is, the first chapter of the sequel to Mayday. I will not be able to update fast because i have a job and i don't have a day off for the next 12 days so i will be trying to write during the hours i'm not working so please bear with me and pleaseeee review. Love you all so much. You are the reason i write.**

_"Thomas please. You don't have to do this." I beg him. The knife is pressed against Austin's neck and I see a spot of blood forming under the blade._

_"This is your fault Ally. Why couldn't you just want me instead of him?" He says and with one quick twitch of the wrist he slits Austin's throat and throws his body over the edge. I scream so loud it hurts my own ears._

My eyes flick open and my breathing is heavy. The familiar darkness of my bedroom forms around me and I breathe in and out. It was another nightmare. I have one every night, and I can't stop them. They always end the same way, with Austin dying and not Thomas. I can't get his face out of my head or his crazy eyes as he held Austin against his will and jumped, bringing them both over the cliff.

It's been a month since I arrived to the safety of my home town. We are two weeks into my sophomore year and the crash is still fresh on everyone's mind. Except the one thing that haunts me even more than the crash is Thomas.

I don't understand why this is only happening to me, this reoccurring horror that eats at my brain every day and every night. Austin was pushed over the edge and almost killed by him and he's doing better than I am. His leg is healing faster than expected and before I know it he will be playing football again. He's going on with his life again I hide behind my own shadow.

Wanda and Rick seem okay, though Wanda told me she does talk to the school counselor once a week. My father recommended I do the same but I just can't, because I know the one thing that I will have to do; talk about it. And that means reliving the horrors of the crash, the wolves, being kidnapped by Thomas and then him almost killing Austin. I just don't think I would be able to say it all out loud. I don't really talk much to Daniel and Tiffany, but I know that they aren't the same as they were before.

Every day at school is harder than the previous. I don't know what is worse, walking by the classroom we once all shared or Caroline's locker that is covered in flowers from all of her fellow cheerleaders. All of the memories burn a deeper hole in my heart every time I look at it. It just doesn't feel right to laugh or smile around either of those places.

One of our teachers, Mr. Reynolds, was rumored to be dating Mrs. Paxton the beginning of the year. Some of the kids in his class used to say how he would talk about her in front of them without realizing it and then turn pink when someone asked him about it. I didn't think much of it then, but I can tell that they definitely had something between them. When he passes me in the halls, the skip in his step is gone and his smile is weak. I feel really bad for him.

After I take a shower and get dressed and ready for school, the doorbell rings and I jog down the stairs and stand in front of it. I take a deep breath and grab the doorknob with my hand that's in the cast and shake my head at myself and use the other hand. The door opens, revealing Trish. She smiles wide when she sees me and grabs me for a hug.

I am forever grateful that Trish wasn't on the plane. I am so glad that she got sick and couldn't go. I couldn't stand the thought that her smile might not be genuine anymore, sort of like mine. Trish is too happy and giddy and beautiful to be damaged.

"How are you?" She asks as we break apart.

I grab my backpack off of the chair near the door and shrug, "I'm alright."

I walk through the doorway and onto the porch with her right behind. I lock the front door and place the key under the welcome mat. She links her arm onto mine and we walk down my street. Everything is normal. People are driving by in cars, probably on their way to work or to drop their kids off at school. My neighbor is watering her grass. One of the other neighbor's cats is sunning herself on the sidewalk. Everyone is going on with their day like nothing bad has ever happened. Like no one has ever died. I use to be like them. But after going through something so tragic I can't forget about all the bad things that are happening in the world every day.

"So is Austin going to start playing football again?" She asks.

I nod, "Yep. His leg is getting a lot better. I know he is eager to get back on the field again."

"I don't blame him. He probably just wants to feel normal again." She says, twirling a piece of her hair between two fingers.

"We all do." I tell her.

I want to tell her about my nightmares but I'm afraid. Nobody knows about them except my father, and he only knows little. I don't know how she will react. Will she just be like everyone else and recommend I see a shrink? I don't want her to treat me differently.

As we take the front steps of the school, I notice Austin down the hall talking to one of his football buddies. He has shorts on, revealing his bandaged leg. His white tee shirt is baggy on him. He has clearly lost some of his muscle since everything that has happened. He is noticeably skinnier. But his face is the same and his hair is a little longer. It still doesn't make sense to me that someone like him could love me. He is literally the only good thing that came out of this.

We catch his eyes as we go to my locker. I open it up and grab one of my books, causing another one to fall out at my feet. Before I can do anything, Austin is by my side, bending over and picking it up for me smoothly. He smiles and puts the book back in my locker, "Hey."

I smile back, "Hey."

"Well I'll let you two, do whatever. I have class. See you after school Ally." Trish says. She walks away and I wave at her.

Austin leans against the locker next to mine, "How are you today?" he asks, caressing the side of my face. I put my hand on his and close my eyes, sighing.

"I'm okay." Austin doesn't know about my nightmares but he's not stupid. He knows how everything has affected me. I mean, he was by my side for most of it.

"I have a doctor's appointment after school to look at my wound and then hopefully I'll be getting my arm cast off too."

"Awesome." I say weakly.

"How's your arm." He says, grabbing it softly and looking my cast over.

"Well it's taking longer to heal because of the shape it was in when we were rescued, but it doesn't feel too bad."

"That's good." He says. He lifts up my other hand and kisses it.

I blush and he notices. He smiles wide and pulls me into a hug, "I love you." He whispers.

I nod against his chest, "I love you too."

"Ewe PDA."

We jump apart and it's Austin's red headed friend that he was just talking to earlier. Austin rolls his eyes and punches him in the shoulder, "Shut up Dez, we were just hugging."

"I know, but its fun to mess with you." He says and laughs.

"Dez, this is Ally, Ally this is Dez."

"I know. We have a class together." I say blankly.

"We do?" He asks, surprised.

I roll my eyes. And Dez stays silent. Austin notices the awkwardness between us and clears his throat just as the bell rings. "Dude we have to go." Dez says, pulling at Austin's arm.

He looks down at me and frowns, "I'll see you at lunch okay?"

I nod and wave to him as he's pulled away. I sigh and rub the back of my neck. I love Austin, but I don't fit in with his jock friends and I never will. Most of them don't know who I am unless I'm with Austin and they few that do know me are because of the crash. They never even thought to say hi to me before but now they pity me.

When lunch time comes around, Trish and I enter and get in line. We were a little late, so Austin is already seated with Dez and a few other football players and cheerleaders. I sigh and stare at my tray. Trish notices my change in mood and nudges me with her elbow, "What's wrong?"

"I just don't fit in with Austin and his friends. It was so different when we were stranded. It was just me and him. He was himself. Now he's back to being the golden boy. Why did I think things would be different? Actually, I didn't think they would be. I knew this would happen." I say, ignoring the cafeteria lady giving me a strange look as she plops down a pile of mashed potatoes on my tray.

"Ally I think you're over reacting." Trish says.

I shake my head, "I'm not."

"Why don't you try to fit in with them?"

I laugh, "I couldn't fit in with them before and I definitely couldn't now."

She laughs nervously, "Why not?"

"Because I am nothing like the Ally I was before."

"Ally…"

I shake my head again, "I am nothing like I was before." I whisper. I take my tray of food and dump it in the trash before walking out of the cafeteria room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all of the reviews so far. I love reading them and they make me want to write more so keep them coming (:**

I go outside the back way and sit on one of the picnic tables. Nobody else is out here and I'm glad to be alone. I rest my elbows on the table and hold my head up with my hands. There's a squirrel just in front of me, stopping to pick something up off the ground before running away and up a tree. I watch it until about half when up the tree when I notice someone standing a distance away, just behind the school fence. He looks just like Thomas. I close my eyes tightly and open them and nobody's there. I shake my head and pull at my hair. What is wrong with me?

I hear the school doors open but I keep my eyes on the tabletop. Someone has carved their initials just near my elbow. I feel someone take a seat next to me and I take a deep breath, "Why are you out here?"

I turn and look at him, his face full of worry for me. His cheekbones sticking out, his blonde hair falling into his eyes but he won't move it away. He's too intent on scanning my face, "Nothing Austin."

He takes my hand from under my chin and sets it down on the table and covers it with his own. His hand is noticeably bigger than mine, "You can tell me anything."

"I know. I was just feeling bad about myself and needed some air."

He sighs, "Why were you feeling bad about yourself?"

"I just don't feel the same as I used to be and I hate it."

"I know. I do too."

I shake my head, "But you have something from your life to go back to like football. You're almost back to normal. But here I am still stuck back in New Mexico."

"I'm not back to normal. None of us are ever going to be back to normal." Austin says. At least he doesn't have nightmares or imagines seeing a dead person…

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just having a hard time."

"And I'm here for you." He says, rubbing my shoulder.

"I know." I say with a small smile.

After school Austin goes to the doctor and Trish walks me home. She had to go home after that and help her mother with housework. Her father got hurt on the job and hasn't been able to work so her mother got a part time job at the diner in town so that means Trish has to help out around the house more.

When I get inside there is a note from my dad on the table. He went out bowling with his friends. They have a league and they go every week but he always leaves a note to remind me like I'm going to forget or something.

My father told me that nobody knew what happened to us, or if they would ever see us again. The plane completely disappeared and they couldn't find it on the radar. But they wouldn't give up looking for us. They knew that none of our parents would give up until they found some sort of sign. He said he couldn't sleep, couldn't eat. He didn't even go back to work until I came home. He said Trish came over almost every day to check on him and was a nervous wreck. I don't blame them. But at least I came back. What about Stacy's parents who felt the same way as my dad. They got the call that the plane had been found and then had to be told that their little girl was dead.

I clean the dirty dishes in the sink and heat up a slice of leftover pizza and sit on the couch. I turn on the television and flick through the channels as I take bites. As I'm flicking through something catches my eye and I turn it back to the channel.

It's a program about wolves. They look exactly like the ones I came face to face with. I remember watching this program a couple months before the crash and that's why they looked familiar; the Mexican gray wolves. It gives me goose bumps to see them again. But at least I am safe in my own home now.

A knock on my front door makes me jump. I set down the rest of my pizza and shut the television off. I walk slowly over to my door and peak through the side window. It's Austin. I take a deep breath and open the door. He's smiling widely and I take one look at his uncovered leg. There's a visible scar on it; a scar that a wolf gave him, a visible scar on the outside from the horrible event that will be there forever.

"Hey." He says.

I smile and wrap my arms around his waist. He wraps his arms around my shoulders tightly, "I'm so happy for you." I tell him.

"I still have to wear a brace on my arm for a bit. But it's just for some extra protection during football."

I nod at him as we pull a part. He looks behind me through the door and raises an eyebrow, "So can I come in?"

I laugh and pull him in by the arm, shutting the door behind me. We walk into the living room and he takes my piece of pizza and starts eating it. I roll my eyes and sit down at the end of the couch. He takes a seat next to me and finishes eating before saying, "I take it your dad is bowling?" I nod.

"Well I didn't know you were going to be home alone or I would have come over sooner." He says. I raise an eyebrow at him and his eyes widen, "I didn't mean it like that… I meant like I could have kept you company sooner."

I laugh, "Its fine. I actually wanted to show you something." I say, grabbing his arm and dragging him upstairs to my room.

He gives me weird looks as we jog up the stairs. I stop in front of my door and face him with a smile. He holds back a smile and shrugs, obviously confused. I open my door and reveal my room, which I completely re arranged and also hung up white lights. I got a bunch of pictures printed of Trish and I and some recent ones of me and Austin and hung them on the wall too.

He smiles and turns around in a full circle looking everything over, "You changed it up." He says with a smile.

"Well, I wanted something different." I say; because I am different.

"I like it."

I sit down on my bed and play with a loose thread on my bedspread, "Thanks."

He sits down next to me and looks at me until I look at him. He grabs my hand and puts it between both of his. We look at each other for a few long minutes until he whispers, "You're so beautiful Ally." I blush and shake my head but he doesn't give me time to reply before saying, "No really. You are a beautiful thing that came from a bad thing. What happened brought us together. And I hate that it had to happen that way but I'm glad it did."

"So am I." I say.

He leans in and kisses me slow and softly, causing the butterflies in my stomach to wake up and bump into each other. Usually he would stop after a short peck but he doesn't this time. He deepens the kiss, resting his hand on my waist. I bring my hands up to his neck and then one to the back of his hair. All I can think about are his lips moving on mine and they way he smells like cologne and sweat, yet so good.

We pull away to catch our breath and I rest my hands on his chest. He smiles and kisses my forehead and then my cheek. I giggle like a little girl and embarrass myself. He then kisses me on the nose, "You're too cute when you're embarrassed."

I roll my eyes and shove him playfully, making him fall backwards, but he pulls me with him and I end up landing on top of him. We freeze and stare into each other's eyes for a second before he grabs the back of my head lightly and pulls my face to his. He kisses me hard again and my whole body turns warm. I pull away after a minute and we are both breathing heavier than ever. "I think we should slow down." I whisper against his cheek.

We both sit up and I pat down my hair. He clears throat and sighs, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean too…"

"Hey I know. Believe me it's nothing I didn't want to do." He smiles and wraps his arm around me and we stay like that until it's time for him to go home.


	3. Chapter 3

_Austin's screaming my name as he hangs off the edge of the cliff, his hands slowing slipping off. Thomas is laughing above him, kicking dirt towards his face. I lunge forward to try to help Austin but Thomas grabs me and holds me back._

_"Let me go!" I shout in his face. _

_He laughs again, "You're mine now." And Austin falls off the edge._

I wake up drenched in sweat. I wipe a drop from my cheek but realize it isn't sweat, but in fact tears. I sit up and cup my face in my hands before getting out of bed and walking into my bathroom. I stand in front of the mirror and look at my reflection but I don't see myself. I see a girl that's being torn apart from the inside out, covered in sweat with dark circles under her eyes.

I splash my face with water and go downstairs into the kitchen. I search the refrigerator for something to drink and settle with apple juice. I pour myself a glass and take a seat at the counter. I move my glass in circles in front of me, watching the juice move from side to side.

Before I know it, I hear my father moving around upstairs. I look at the clock on the microwave and it's almost six. I didn't even realize the few hours that went by. I'm running on almost no sleep today. I sigh and take a sip of my drink before dumping the rest down the drain. I sneak back up into my room before my father finds me and questions why I'm up. I don't want him to know that I am still getting nightmares. I know eventually he will try and force me to get help. No one can go back and change the fact that Thomas kidnapped me and tried to kill Austin.

After I get dressed and I'm about to leave I have to go back up to my room because I realized that I had two different shoes on. I try and shake it off as I leave my front door and Trish is waiting on the steps. We never used to walk to school together before, but since I got back Trish insists on going anywhere she can with me.

"Dang girl, you look awful."

I stop and give her a blank look, "Gee, thanks."

She laughs, "I didn't mean it to be well mean, you just look like you didn't get any sleep."

I fix one of the straps of my backpack that is hanging off my shoulder, "That's because I didn't."

"Well why not?" She asks, kicking a leaf around.

"I had a nightmare." I admit. It would be okay to just tell her about one right?

"What was it about?"

I sigh, "Thomas killing Austin."

She stops walking and rests an arm on my shoulder, "I'm sorry Ally. I know everything that happened to you must have taken a toll on you."

I nod, "It did. It's okay though. It was just a dream."

"Well it looks like it affected you pretty well."

"It would affect anyone." And that's the end of that conversation.

It's half way through the school day and I haven't seen Austin. By lunch I spot him in the food line talking to Dez. He has his old jersey on and my stomach churns. He looks like the old Austin that would never give me the time of day and it scares me.

"Ally, are you going to eat today?" Trish asks.

I shrug, "I'm not really hungry."

She gives me a pointed look, "You have to eat."

"Fine, I'll have an apple or something." I tell her.

When it's our turn, she has a tray and gets some food; I just grab an apple from one of the baskets. I follow her and take a seat towards the corner where her friends from the drama club sit. Trish likes to act so she does school plays a lot. I don't usually hang around her when she's with them but they are better than the jocks. At least they know when I have classes with them.

I take a couple bites of my apple and after a little while I see Austin heading for our table. I sit up straighter and act like I am in on the conversation that Trish and her blonde haired friend are having but the truth is I have no idea what they are talking about.

Austin takes a seat next to me, ignoring the others, "Hey there."

"Hi." I say, studying my apple.

"You could sit with us you know." He says calmly.

I just shrug. He sighs and wraps an arm around me, "They like you."

"They don't even know who I am."

"That's not true." He says, shaking his head.

"Oh right, that's why I have class with half of them and they don't even know it." I say too loudly and rudely, causing our table to get silent. Austin looks around uncomfortably and clears his throat.

He takes his arm back and stands up, "Well, I have class. I'll talk to you after." I nod with a small smile and he walks away just as the bell rings. I get up and throw out my apple in disgust. I've never blown up at him like that before. But it's true. I don't fit in with his friends. Maybe the lack of sleep is just getting to my head.

I walk Trish to her class and then go to the nurse's office and tell her I have a migraine so she will let me take a nap in her office. I lie down on the comfortable bed and stare up at the ceiling. I know I'm not going to sleep, that would just mean more nightmares, but lying here makes me feel a little better. It beats being in class.

I'm taking my books I need from my locker for homework and putting them into my bag as the final bell rings. Austin finds me in an instant. He stands beside me and folds his arms. I can feel his eyes on me but I ignore him, staring into my locker.

"Where have you been all afternoon?" He asks with concern. We have a class together that I missed.

"I've been sleeping in the nurse's office."

"Are you okay?" he asks, grabbing my hand and putting it to his cheek. I scan his face and nod.

"I was just tired."

"Well I have football practice but do you want to do something after?" He asks.

I shrug, "Sure."

"I was thinking you could come over to my house for dinner." He says.

"Okay." I say with a nod.

He smiles, "Great. I'll pick you up after practice." He says and gives me a quick peck before walking away.

Later that night I am pacing back and forth in my room, staring at the pile of clothes lying on my bed. I don't know if I should just dress normal or a little fancier for the dinner. It's not like I am meeting his parents for the first time. The first time I did meet them was in the hospital after the crash. I have been to Austin's house plenty of times since.

I finally decide on a white skirt and a pink blouse. It's casual but not too casual. I leave my hair down and wavy and don't put on any makeup besides cover up under my eyes to hide the dark circles. After looking myself over one last time I go downstairs and wait for Austin to pick me up.

After he comes in and says hello to my father we head to his house. When we pull into the driveway I notice an unfamiliar car. I turn to Austin and raise one of my eyebrows. He shuts off the car and looks from me to the front door, "Aaron showed up just before I came to pick you up."

"Shouldn't he be at college?"

He nods as he takes off his seat belt, "Yes, so this should be interesting."

"Maybe I shouldn't have come." I admit, taking my own seatbelt off.

Austin runs his hand through his hair and shakes his head, "No, it's fine. I want you here. Everyone does."

We walk in and I am immediately greeted by his parents. His mother hugs me and his father smiles and says hello. I can tell they are a little on edge. Aaron appears out of nowhere and grabs me and picks me up in a bear hug. I'm shock at first but then giggle a little. He puts me down and Austin's glaring at him, "Here's the gorgeous Ally!" he says. I blush and pat down my skirt.

"Shall we eat now?" Mrs. Moon says.

I follow them into the dining room where they have set up fancy looking dinnerware. Aaron sits at one end, then Austin, then me with their dad at the other end and their mother across from Austin and I. We are silent as we pass around the chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and biscuits. I give myself a little bit of each, knowing I won't even be able to finish that. I can't eat much since everything that happened, not only because of how horrible I have been feeling on the inside but also because after not eating much my stomach has shrunken and I haven't been able to get back into my old habits of eating.

"So Aaron…" His father says after about five minutes. He sets his fork down and clasps his hands together. Oh god, here we go.

I take a small bite of my biscuit as Aaron leans back in his chair casually putting his hands behind his head, "So father…"

"It's obvious we are all surprised by your sudden visit, seeing as how you should be at school."

"About that… I dropped out." Aaron says calmly.

Their mother drops her fork. Austin freezes beside me, his fork still in his hand that is half way into the mashed potatoes and their father's ears are turning a dark shade of red. I set my biscuit down and lay my hands on my lap. Now this is why I shouldn't have come.

"You did what?" Mr. Moon asks.

"I dropped out. I don't need college."

"Aaron… After everything you achieved in high school to get this far?" Mrs. Moon asks breathlessly.

Aaron sits up straight and picks at his napkin, "I know. I'm sorry; I'm just not fit for college anymore."

"So then what do you think you are going to do now?" Mr. Moon asks.

He shrugs, "I don't know but that's fine with me."

"Where are you going to live?" Austin asks.

"Oh, with my buddy just a couple towns over." He says with a grin.

"Excuse me." Mr. Moon says, throwing his chair back and leaving the room.

Mrs. Moon stares at her plate, still half full of food and shoves it in front of her. She looks at me and smiles weakly before getting up and walking away with excusing herself. The room stays silent and the three of us preoccupy ourselves by eating or more like playing with our food.

"So… How are things Austin?" Aaron asks.

Austin shrugs, "Fine."

"Mom and dad told me you are on the football team again." He says.

Austin nods, "Yep, I just got cleared to actually participate."

"That's cool. And Ally, do you play any sports? Cheerlead maybe?" he says.

I laugh instantly, "No. I am not coordinated enough." They both laugh in response.

After we clean up the rest of dinner, Austin and I hang out in his room while his parents yell at Aaron. Austin's room is in the basement and we can hear them yelling from upstairs. Austin twirls his thumbs next to me on the couch and I twirl a piece of my hair.

"So what do you think of this?" I ask him.

"What?" He asks, turning to me.

I make a duh face and say, "Your brother dropping out of school." I say.

"Oh. I don't know. It's surprising."

"Yes it is. But maybe now you don't have to live up to him." I say cautiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you said how perfect your parents find Aaron and how you have to live up to him sports wise and go to school and everything. Maybe now your parents will see that that's not important."

Austin laughs then and I'm taken aback, "It's just going to be worse now. They will expect more of me."

"That doesn't seem fair." I say.

He shrugs, "That's how they are."

"You shouldn't do something you don't want to do just to be like your brother, like football."

"Who said I don't want to play football?" he asks.

"I don't know… I just, forget it." I say. The tinge of hope that he will go back to the Austin I got to know better is gone. He will never stop trying to make his parents happy.

After he drops me off at home I go up into my room, change into my pajamas and lie awake in my bed. I wish Austin didn't feel like he had to live up to Aaron. I thought maybe the accident changed that about him. When he told me how much it bothered him that one night he opened up to me I thought that that meant he was coming to terms with it. I just hope that this won't tear us apart.


	4. Chapter 4

I thought school this morning was going to be like it always is, but I thought wrong.

As I walk into the doors I hear commotion down the hall, down near the room I once shared with a handful of kids that are now mostly dead. I take slow and deep breaths as I walk over to the large group standing in front of the door. A teacher comes over and shouts at them to leave the area. I act casual and join the crowd that is leaving until they are almost down the hall. I turn around fast and walk back over to the door. I scan it and notice what's wrong, there are red X's over everyone's faces… except Austin and I and the other survivors. Written underneath the picture is 'you all should have died.'

I bring my shaking hand up to my mouth and cover it. Chills slither down my spine and my head starts spinning. I get so dizzy I know I'm going to fall over but a hand grabs my arm. I look up and it's Austin. His facial expression makes him look like he's almost in pain. He pulls me to the other side of the school and then in a janitors closet.

I lean against the closed door and keep my head down. Austin flips an empty bucket upside down and sits on it, running his hands through his hair. I start biting at my nails and keep my eyes to the floor. Austin stands up suddenly and rests his hands on my shoulders, "We shouldn't let this get to us. It's just some jerk messing with us."

"Why would anyone do that? This isn't funny." I say, scanning his face.

"I know it isn't. But you know how cruel people are."

I nod in response and he drops his arms to his sides, "We need to forget about it and go to class okay?"

I sigh, but with a noticeable shake. He takes my hand and we walk out of the closet and go our separate ways to class. Everyone stares at me as I enter the room. I keep my head down as I walk to my seat. Do they feel bad for me? Do they think it's funny? Did one of them do it?

I can hear them whispering, my name coming up every once in a while. I want to plug my ears and scream like a toddler but I decide to stare straight ahead at the chalk board. The teacher clears his throat to silence them all.

"As you all know, somebody pulled a sick prank on our memorial picture this morning. It will not go unpunished once we find out who has done it. If any of you know anything, be sure to go talk to the principle after class. This is far from funny. It's very disrespectful to not just the ones that we lost but the ones that are still with us and have to go through the painful memories every day as it is. But for someone to write something like that…" He shakes his head.

Tears form in my eyes at his words. He's right. Who could write something like that? Why would they say we all should have died? Tears form in my eyes and I take a deep breath. I raise my hand suddenly. "Yes?" the teacher calls on me.

"May I be excused?" I ask.

He nods and I run out of the room. Sure, that never worked before. But I am one of the victims so of course he would let me. I can't say I'm happy to have special treatment. I would like it without this happening.

I walk down the hall and towards the front doors. I look at the clock on the wall. It's still early. Lunch is next. But thinking of being in that cafeteria full of kids, and most likely the person that did that to the picture, makes me sick to my stomach. I throw the doors open and run down the stairs to the sidewalk. I don't know where I'm going but I don't stop walking.

I knew that this was too good to be true. I couldn't just go back to school and everything would feel normal. People will always look at me different. They did before, but now it's worse. They are always going to feel bad for me, or maybe secretly wish I was gone instead of their friend.

I find myself in the park and I take a seat on one of the benches. Not many people are around, probably because they are at work or in school. There is one girl jogging by with her ear buds in. I sigh and sink into the bench, wishing I could disappear, or just be the old Ally.

I hear a car horn honk and I look over to the general store across the street. I watch a boy walk out and he looks right at me. My heart stops. He looks just like Thomas… I shut my eyes tightly and open them again and he's gone. I tug at my hair and breathe in and out. I'm just seeing things. This whole thing is really getting to me. I should go home and sleep it off.

[][][][][][][][]

"Ally, Austin is here." I hear my father saying outside of my bedroom door.

I stretch in my oversized sweater and leggings on my messy bed. I sit up and pat down my hair, "Okay, let him in." I say.

A few minutes later Austin comes into my room, shutting the door behind him. He walks over and takes a seat on my bed next to me, "Are you okay? You just left school?"

I nod, "I just needed to come home and sleep."

"It was because of what happened wasn't it?"

I nod and hug my legs to my chest, "I just can't get over it. Who would do that?"

"I don't know some low life with too much time on their hands."

"Or maybe someone who was close with one of the kids who died and they don't find it fair that we lived."

"That's no excuse." He says.

"I know. But sometimes I think why I was lucky enough to live but they weren't?"

He rubs my shoulder, "You shouldn't think that way. I don't know why it happened, but you should be happy that you are here."

"I am of course; it's just so hard to deal with all of this every day."

"I know, but that's why we have each other. Except I feel like you are pushing me away. You never talk to me about what you're feeling. You just leave."

I sigh, "I know, and I don't mean to be this way."

He grabs me and pulls me to him. I sigh against his chest. I wish I could open up to him, to anyone. But I'm just so broken inside.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning I don't go to school. Instead I stay in my bed until about four in the afternoon because my father told me he would tell Austin to go away if he came over. My father is an evil man. He knows that taking Austin away from me would get me out of bed. A part of me doesn't believe he would actually do that, but I don't want to test it out.

I sit in the kitchen and stare at my glass of water in front of me. My father just left to the store and Austin is supposed to be here at any moment. I texted him this morning and told him I wasn't going to school so I wouldn't upset him like yesterday. He told me I should still go but I refused.

A knock on the door alerts me. I jog over and look out the side window. Austin is standing there, shoving his hands into his pockets. God, he is the most attractive boy I have ever laid my eyes on. His messy blonde hair is in every direction yet it's still perfect. I open the door and he smiles at me. Did I mention he has the most amazing smile I have ever seen too?

"Hi." I say, grinning.

"Hi school skipper." He says, punching me playfully in the arm.

I roll my eyes and walk into the living room with him close behind. I sit down on the couch and he does the same. He kisses me on the cheek and leans back, "But seriously…"

"What?" I ask.

"Are you going to school tomorrow?" He asks.

I shrug, "I don't know…"

"Ally, you can't let this get to you. It's just showing the person that did it that they matter, and they don't."

"It's not just that. They just put me over the edge. I haven't wanted to go to that school."

"Why?" He asks.

I shake my head, "Do you really have to ask? All those memories, I can't take them. I hated walking by that classroom every day and having to think of Stacy, or even Caroline." I cringe.

"You can't change what happened." He says.

"I know that. I just am having a hard time. I'm not bouncing back like all of you." I say.

"You think it's easy on me?" He asks.

I shake my head, "No, but you act like it."

"Because if I didn't I'd go crazy."

"At least you had a normal life to go back to. I was a loser and still am." I say.

His eyes widen and he turns to me, resting his hand on my thigh, "That is not true." He says.

"I really don't want to talk about this." I say.

"You need to talk to someone about it."

"Please." I beg.

He sighs as we hear my father coming in the front door. Austin takes his hand back and I turn on the television. My dad makes us tacos for dinner and we all eat in the living room. Things have been really laid back since the crash. My father doesn't care as much as he used to about the little things. He would never let me eat anywhere but the kitchen. Now I can even eat in my room if I want to. I guess that's been in a traumatic plane crash perk.

After we clean up Austin and I hang out in my room. He spins around in my desk chair as I lay on my stomach on my bed watching him. He yawns suddenly and I sigh, turning over onto my back, "Tired?"

"Yeah, I should probably head home." He admits.

I stand up as he does. He walks over to me and hugs me tightly to his chest. We break apart and he leans down and kisses me. He pulls away but I kiss him again, craving more. After a few more minutes of kissing I walk him out.

[][][][][][][][][][][]

After skipping school again on Friday, Austin practically drags me to school the following Monday. We walk in together and I keep my eyes on him or to the floor. By the time we get to my locker I think we are safe, until I get a good look at it. The lock is broken. I look up at Austin who looks back at me, mortified.

"Who would do that?" he asks.

I open it slowly, but it's too late, a thick red liquid pours out, getting all over my white converses. I hold in a scream as Austin pulls me back towards him. Everything in my locker is ruined. I slip a little and then grab on to Austin's arm, "And you wonder why I don't want to be here?" I say.

"This is bullshit." Austin says.

"What if your locker is the same?" I ask.

"It will be. Mine was." Daniel says, appearing out of nowhere.

"This is ridiculous." Austin says.

"Someone is out to get us." I say.

Austin shakes his head, "Don't be too paranoid Ally, it's just some asshole." He says.

"Yeah well, they better hope I don't find out who they are." Daniel says.

I spend the rest of the day on full alert. Any little noise makes me jump; someone dropping their pencil in class, a door shutting at the end of the hall. I feel like the person pulling these pranks could do something different at any time. And who knows what they will actually do next. By the time school is finally over, I'm a nervous wreck. Austin even skips football practice to walk me home because Trish had detention.

He wraps his arm around my shoulder as we walk down the sidewalk silently. A car goes by us and honks, making me jump. Austin waves; it was just one of his friends. I sigh and brush a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I'm sorry this is happening." Austin says lowly.

"It's not your fault."

"I can see that it's really bothering you." He says.

I shrug but unconvincingly. There's no point in lying to him, "Yes, it is. I'm afraid."

"It's just some idiot pulling pranks, there's nothing to be afraid of."

I shrug his arm off and stop, turning to him, "We don't know what they are capable of. Clearly they want us dead."

Austin's mouth hangs open, but only for a moment, "Ally, you don't have to be over dramatic here, they don't want us dead."

"What about what they did to the picture?"

"They are just trying to mess with us. You are over thinking it."

"Or maybe you are under thinking it." I hiss.

He rests his hands on my shoulders, "Hey, calm down, I don't mean to upset you." He says quietly.

I just nod at him and we continue walking. When we get to my house, we sit in the kitchen and drink cans of soda in silence. Usually we can talk about anything, but the silence has been lingering between us ever since all of this started happening. He doesn't think it's a big deal, but I have a bad feeling about all of this.


End file.
